First Prize
by Akkhima
Summary: Everyone has lost their most important skills.


Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not intend to make money off of this, only fun. 

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A young woman with long, dark hair sits hunched over a computer. This is quite obviously not your normal computer; it shimmers with an aura of control-control for the ever popular fanfic. The girl reaches for a shelf filled with saltshakers of different varieties, labeled such things as "Unexpected Crush", "New Skill", "Possible Removal of Curse" and "PWP". She peruses the rack for a moment and finally settles on one. She begins to lightly dust the small part of the screen in front of her that shows a young girl with brown hair. As each particle falls onto the screen, it begins to glow brightly and be absorbed. However, as she brings the shaker back for a second shake, the top falls off, spewing the fine powder across all the faces, causing the entire set up to glow in a red hot frenzy.   
  
"Damnit. You've been unscrewing the caps again, haven't you?" She turns to scream at the miniature dragon perched next to her, who is licking one foot like a cat. The dragon only grins, not even looking up from its task. "I guess I'm stuck with it now, huh?" The dragon nods only slightly, still showing no sign of concern. "Fucking muses." She glares at the dragon for a moment, but it only curls up and lies down to go to sleep. "I hate you, I hope you know that." The dragon begins to purr.  
  
The girl sweeps what's left on the table back into the bottle marked "Decrease in Skill", and returns it to the shelf after screwing the cap back on tightly.  
  
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Ranma lay back on the back porch of the Tendo's house. He stared up at what he could see of the sky and wondered if he'd ever experienced a normal day in his life. He thought today would be an awfully nice day for it, if he ever would have one. The sky was a deep blue, although not completely cloudless. The sun warmed him, but not uncomfortably. There was a slight and constant breeze, adding just enough movement to spice up the landscape. No one was around for the moment, and he wished it would stay that way.  
  
"Ranma, honey? Raaaaaanmaaaaaa? RAAANMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?" A female voice called to him, pleading, and getting closer.   
  
"Damnit." And then she was on top of him-literally. She was kneeling on his chest, pulling at his collar and staring into his eyes with tears in her eyes. "Oof… Hi U-chan, what's up?"  
  
"Something horrible has happened!" And she began to bawl, tears streaming down her cheeks and splashing onto Ranma's shirt. "I was cooking okonomiyaki, like I always am around lunch time, and I flipped on over and to my horror it was burnt!"  
  
"Is that it, U-chan? You burned an okonomiyaki? Akane does that all the time!"  
  
"But it wasn't just that! I haven't burned something I've cooked in years, and then I burned another one. And a few minutes later, I served a customer and they reported it to be raw inside. And from then on every okonomiyaki I've cooked has come out burned, raw or misshapen!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"What do you mean, 'so?' Okonomiyaki is my livelihood! And not only that, but I tried to cook some instant ramen, and I over-soaked the noodles. I tried to make some toast, and it burned. And then I tried to make a peanut butter sandwich, but I dropped it peanut butter side down! I can't cook anymore!"   
  
"I have an idea, U-chan."  
  
"What's that?" She asked.  
  
"Why don't you get off of me?" By this time she had such a tight grip on his shirt and was pressing so hard on his chest that he was having a great deal of trouble breathing.   
  
"Sorry." She dropped his collar and his head hit the porch with a 'thunk' and she stood up and he coughed several times to restore the air to his lungs.  
  
"Thanks." He sat up and thought about her situation. "I dunno what's wrong with you. Take the day off, and maybe it'll be better by tomorrow."  
  
"I guess you're right," she sighed.   
  
"I'd like to be alone today, if it's alright with you."  
  
"Oh. Of course. Anything for you, Ranma honey." And she turned to leave, sulking.  
  
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End file.
